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New Fort Morgan fire chief sworn in

Council ratifies volunteer fire department's vote, conducts other reorganizing business

By Jenni Grubbs

Times Staff Writer

Posted:
01/15/2016 04:21:56 AM MST

Click photo to enlarge

Fort Morgan Mayor Ron Shaver, left, swears in new Fort Morgan Fire Chief Mark Frasco at the special Fort Morgan City Council meeting Tuesday night, Jan. 12, 2016, at City Hall. As per the city charter, the council ratified the vote by the Fort Morgan Volunteer Fire Department that tapped Frasco as fire chief. He succeeds Erik Christensen in that position.

Fort Morgan Mayor Ron Shaver, left, swears in new Fort Morgan Fire Chief Mark Frasco at the special Fort Morgan City Council meeting Tuesday night, Jan. 12, 2016, at City Hall. As per the city charter, the council ratified the vote by the Fort Morgan Volunteer Fire Department that tapped Frasco as fire chief. He succeeds Erik Christensen in that position. (Jenni Grubbs / Fort Morgan Times)

On the Web

Watch Fort Morgan City Council meeting videos: Visit https://streaming.cityoffortmorgan.com/ This link connects to a link to the live stream of the city's public access cable channel, as well as links to videos of previous council meetings, going back to January 2014 also available. The video of a Tuesday night meeting is typically uploaded the next day.

Having been voted in by the volunteer fire department and that vote now ratified by the City Council, Fort Morgan now has a new fire chief.

Mark Frasco was sworn in as Fort Morgan fire chief Tuesday night by Mayor Ron Shaver, himself only sworn in earlier that evening.

"I do appreciate all the support we always get from the city and the council, and we will continue to support the city as best we can," the new fire chief told the council.

"Thanks for all you do," Shaver told Frasco, drawing echoes of agreement from the council members.

City Manager Jeff Wells noted that the city's process for determining the city's fire chief is an "unique appointment," but that this is how the city charter sets it up. The fire chief then reports directly to the council, not the city manager as with most city departments.

"We have a great relationship in the city and the fire department with the rural fire department," Wells said. "In fact, it's kind of one and the same. We share equipment, we share volunteers and employees."

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Other action

The council also did several other things Tuesday night as part of reorganizing for the new year and new term.

• They heard from Wells, City Attorney Jason Meyers and Frasco about their expectations as staff for communication with the council and city employees, with no changes from with the prior mayor and council.

• The council designated the front lobby of City Hall as the posting site for notices of meetings, which remains the same.

• The council heard two presentations and gave two unanimous approvals to establishing and operating regular city bank accounts and one interim one related to the city's health insurance administration.

The next council meeting, and the first regular one for the new council, is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19, at City Hall.

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